The Pittsburgh Steelers have everything in place to chase a championship, except the most important player on any NFL team.
Mike Tomlin and company haven’t figured out what to do at the starting quarterback position.
They have already moved on from Mitch Trubisky, who was released last week in a move that will save the Steelers $11.5 million in real money over the next two seasons.
Trubisky never stood a chance with the Steelers. Six weeks after he was signed to a two-year, $14.3 million contract in free agency in March 2022, the Steelers took Kenny Pickett with their No. 1 pick in the draft. That night, Trubisky was a little surprised by a text message that, among other things, asked him to text and congratulate the newest Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback.
Trubisky’s departure leaves an empty cupboard for the Steelers. As of right now, they have just one quarterback that is 100 percent on their roster — Pickett. They do not have another possible option, not even on the practice squad.
Granted, they will correct the problem in the coming months, whether in free agency or the draft.
What Will The Pittsburgh Steelers Do With Mason Rudolph While Betting On Kenny Pickett?
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, there is internal strife on whether to bet the cards on Pickett for 2024, or reach a new deal with Mason Rudolph, who showed promise at the end of the season.
In fact, there appears to be some internal division that maybe Mason Rudolph should be the starter after the way he finished the 2023 season, winning the final three regular season games to gain entry to the playoffs.
There is only one problem, though: Rudolph is an unrestricted free agent who may or may not return, depending on how swiftly the Steelers make him an offer. And for how much?
Dulac goes to to explain it would be wise for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign Rudolph sooner rather than later.
He says Rudolph is not opposed to returning to the Steelers, but that doesn’t mean he won’t entertain another offer when the free agent courtship period for veterans begins March 11. That’s why it might be up to them to move quickly if they want to bring him back for his seventh NFL season.
It would make sense for Mason Rudolph to return, especially after the way he played and how he energized the offense in the final four games. His teammates like him, several have politicked for him, and another indicated there is enough of a question as to who should be the starter that the coaching staff needs to figure it out in a hurry.
What’s more, it might be the best spot for Rudolph to have the best chance to still be a starter, even if the “competition” to which Mike Tomlin referred after the season turns out to be the same implied promise made two years ago and Kenny Pickett wins the job.
It becomes more problematic for the Steelers if they don’t re-sign Rudolph. Then they have to go back into free agency and find a veteran to be the No. 2 quarterback, something like they had in mind with Trubisky, who started 50 games with the Chicago Bears.
While Duloff says they may acquire a QB through the NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t interested in bringing in a veteran signal caller who wants to be a starter.
In any event, the Steelers are not interested in bringing in a quarterback who wants to be a starter. That would include Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins, and probably even Russell Wilson, who has a connection with the Steelers. They are committed to giving Kenny Pickett a third season to see if he is the guy to do more than just win a playoff game — something they haven’t done in a franchise-record seven years.